-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 10 people drowned in the Mediterranean when a ship sank between Libya and the Italian island of Lampedusa Sunday , according to Italy 's official news agency .

Seventy people , including 62 men and eight women , were rescued , ANSA reported . One of the women is pregnant , it said .

The search by Italy 's Navy and Coast Guard is underway for any other survivors , but the report did not say how many people were still missing .

The report referred to the ship 's passengers as migrants , suggesting they are from North Africa .

A boat carrying about 100 migrants from Tunisia ran into trouble in the same area two months ago , triggering a rescue effort by the Italians and NATO ships .

Lampedusa , the closest Italian island to Africa , has become a destination for tens of thousands of refugees seeking to enter European Union countries .

Boats carrying migrants often are in peril at sea .

Amnesty International reported at least 1,500 deaths last year of people attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea .

The human rights monitoring group said some of the deaths could have been prevented .

`` The desire of some European countries to prevent irregular migration -LRB- people who do not have permission to live and work in these countries -RRB- has undermined safe and timely rescue at sea , '' Amnesty International said .

@highlight

Seventy people , including 62 men and eight women , were rescued , ANSA reports

@highlight

Italy 's Navy and Coast Guard is searching for more survivors

@highlight

The report referred to the passengers as migrants , suggesting they 're from North Africa